I trust, Tom, that the remark about block signals and CTC machines was said tongure-in-cheek.
Re-ballasting has everything to do with reducing maintenance costs for track, locomotives, and cars while improving track speeds and ride quality. It has nothing to do with block signals and CTC machines. Small example: when ties are ballasted with a mixture of cinders and local earth, moisture is retained in the ballast and tie rot is accelerated. Ties are not cheap. Ergo, tie rot and increased tie insertions reduce the bottom line.
Sometimes methinks the slavish adherance to the way things were "back in the day" approaches the point of absurdity. Notice that the endless debate over tender lettering is back with us. I think that particular argument will still be going on--without resolution--long after I have departed the face of this earth. Sigh!
There are no absolutes in rail preservation. Attempting to maintain a semblence of historical authenticity is always in tension with the need to meet contemporary operating realities. One has to learn to live with that tension, get ulcers because things are not going your way, or find another hobby.
Just something for mental exercise (not to start still another argumentative thread): Do you think that the C&TS should go back to link-and-pin couplers? How about going back to the days of pre-ICC/FRA safety regulations?? Straight air brakes? Brakemen running back and forth on car roofs, clubbing down mechanical brakes? Just exactly what is historical purity?
All of this is IMHO, of course.
Mike